Reviving a Sense of Wonder

Dear Real Academics,

Tiberio and I have a 2-year old "puppy" named Rocky. In this week's picture, Rocky is experiencing his first-time-ever small-town Christmas parade. Rocky had never seen a horse or a goat or a marching band or floats decked out with lights. So, when I saw him sitting so attentively and curiously looking at the parade, I had a sudden sense of awe myself thinking of what it must be like to experience something for the very first time. 


As a writer, there is a part of me that needs and longs for awe and wonder. I find that I can revive that sense when I slow down, and I'd like to share some thoughts as to why this may be. In doing so, my goal is to help you (and me) with inspiration for writing and work.

Slowing down can inspire my sense of awe and wonder by:

(1) Allowing me time to be grateful. When I slow down, I can more easily appreciate what is in front of me instead of thinking about what I need to do next or ruminating on the past (which, unfortunately, happens a lot when I'm in "busy" mode).

(2) Allowing me to enjoy the task I am doing, including reading and writing. I can read and write fairly fast, which is a skill I've developed to survive in the type of work I do. However, fast is not necessarily equated with the enjoyment of what I'm doing. When I slow down to read for enjoyment (e.g., notice the way an author has crafted their language or message), I feel a sense of wonder. The same thing happens when I slow down to write  -- after I've messily drafted my ideas -- so that I'm thinking about how to make my writing more beautiful or engaging or poetic.

(3) Allowing me to see something in a new way. When I slow down physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually, I notice that I see things differently. Seeing things differently is a very good thing as it allows for perspective and often leads to learning something new, which ignites awe for me.

As the holiday season continues and we rush to finish our grading, rush to finish our writing, rush to finish our assignments, and rush to finish our holiday shopping, I encourage you, dear Real Academics, to:

Stop.

Look.

Breathe.

See the Christmas parade in front of you, attentively and curiously, like Rocky did. 

Then, invite that sense of wonder and....run with it! 


Until next time, happy writing!

Maggie

www.therealacademics.com

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